Gamification is a technique that is used in the educational field to facilitate learning using typical game elements such as scoring, competitiveness, or rewards, to capture the attention of students and motivate them. A group of researchers from the Department of Physical and Sports Education of the University of Granada (UGR) has analyzed the influence of gamification on university students through a teaching innovation project based on the popular Star Wars film saga.
The variables that have been evaluated in the study are related to skills such as adequate management of emotions, proactivity, ability to adapt, or flexibility in the face of change. The results show that taking advantage of the principles and main motivating elements of games and fiction in the educational field positively influences the psychological well-being of university students and contributes to a general improvement in aspects such as emotional intelligence, personal initiative, entrepreneurial attitude or resilience.
The adventure narrative was forged around the kidnapping of Master Yoda by the Sith, with Palpatine at the helm. To do this, the Padawans (students) had to previously demonstrate that they were sensitive to the Force and that they had the necessary potential to take on the important mission of being part of the Rebel Alliance and freeing Master Yoda, providing evidence of their learning through of different training challenges. Furthermore, during the process they had to avoid succumbing to the temptations of the Dark Side of Education and its principles (comfort, conformism, laziness) and manifest those that identify the Light Side (passion, commitment, creativity).
The project ended with a triple escape room. The young rebels were celebrating the success of the presentation of their innovation projects before the Galactic Senate, when a group of imperial soldiers burst into the classroom, taking them out and locking them in three interconnected rooms. This fostered positive interdependence between the members of the different groups, so cooperation and communication were key factors to successfully escape before the 60 minutes they had to achieve it.
The student as the protagonist of his training process
This research work has been carried out by UGR researchers Carmen Navarro Mateos, José Mora González and Isaac J. Pérez López and completes a trilogy of articles in which the authors have highlighted the potential of gamification (when it is not mistakenly confused with playing or having fun) to promote the psychological well-being, body composition or cardiorespiratory health of students. Their results have been published in the Games for Health Journal.
The study shows the potential of gamification to promote the psychological well-being, body composition or cardiorespiratory health of students
To this end, the researchers point out that it is essential to understand gamification as synonymous with adventure, which means turning students into the true protagonist of their training process to promote their autonomy and decision-making capacity, as well as the need to manage the consequences and emotions that they entail, in a learning context in which surprise, uncertainty and constant challenge become key ingredients, and which, together with formative and shared feedback, favor the feeling of progress and personal growth.
Source: University of Granada (UGR)
